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Iowa's Partnership for Community Integration (Iowa's Money Follows the Person demonstration project) significantly improves the opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities or related conditions to receive the supports and services needed to sustain them in community settings. In applying for this grant, the State of Iowa registered the following goals: Rebalance the expenditures in long term care to provide improved access to home and community based services. Provide transition services necessary to assure consumers can successfully move from ICF/IDs to the least restrictive living environment of their choice. Strengthen the HCBS system with an array of services provided under Iowa's traditional ID waiver to assure the supports in place are sufficient to sustain all eligible individuals in the community of their choice. The Iowa Department of Human Services subcontracted project implementation to CDD. Grant funding is utilized to expand services beyond what is currently offered under the ID waiver, and to provide one-time services to individuals transitioning into the community from ICF/IDs or nursing homes. Some of the improvements to the system will include: Empowering consumers and families. IME will engage in targeted outreach to consumers, family members and guardians to provide them with information on the advantages of independent living. Participants in the demonstration will have access to the Consumer Choices Option available under HCBS waivers, which provides consumers with control over individual budgets for unskilled services and other supports. Transition services coordination. ICF/ID residents will receive support from transition services coordinators with the training needed to address the complex process of transitioning into the community. The services of these specialists will be available to anyone wishing to transition out of ICF/IDs. Expanding affordable and accessible housing opportunities. Iowa Finance Authority (IFA), a significant partner in this project, has developed a web-based database of affordable and accessible housing in Iowa. The Housing Registry will assist consumers who are considering their housing options. Under MFP, Iowa Medicaid will partner with the IFA to promote expansion of the HCBS Rent Subsidy program which currently provides temporary assistance to people eligible for or receiving waiver services until they can access Section 8 or other housing assistance programs. Iowa was the first Money Follows the Person (MFP) state to hire an Employment Specialist as part of the MFP transition team, to address employment barriers faced by individuals transitioning from facility based services. The Employment Specialists responsibilities include proving technical assistance to area businesses on employment of people with disabilities, partnering with Community Rehabilitation Providers to increase and promote competitive employment options, and working directly with individuals enrolled in MFP on job developing activities, including self-employment options. Iowa DHS will contract with CDD to continue transition services through December 2019.
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